Mesa Public Schools said it is looking into the incident.
On Tuesday, the teacher told 12News they dressed up that way for Halloween spirit week. The teacher explained that the theme was “dynamic duos” and that a teacher next door dressed as an angel.
“Participating in spirit weeks is a way for me to connect with my students and make class fun,” the teacher said. “It’s honestly nothing more than that.”
However, Hamlet said he felt insulted by the costume due to his religious beliefs.
“I said, ‘Don’t do that to me,’ and I pushed [the pitchfork] away maybe three or four times, but he kept doing it,” Hamlet said.
Nathaniel then told his father, Chris Hamlet, a former Mesa school board candidate, about what happened. Chris said he reported it to the school’s principal.
“I was really upset because I’m a Christian too,” Chris Hamlet said. “The main issue for me is, the teacher kept doing it even when my son asked him to stop.”
The next day, Nathaniel said the teacher was not in class and hasn’t returned since. Mesa Public Schools said the teacher is now on paid administrative leave.
A spokesperson for Mesa Public Schools gave 12News a statement on the incident:
“Mesa Public Schools administration was notified of the alleged incident late Wednesday afternoon. Our Human Resources department started investigating Thursday morning and put the teacher on paid leave. The investigation is still ongoing.”
Some parents picking up their kids from school on Monday told 12News that while they don’t agree with what the teacher did, they feel that firing him might be too extreme.
My Wife Found the Clothes She Knitted on a Scarecrow – I Turned It Into a Lesson
This story beautifully captures a range of heartfelt emotions, from a mother’s love expressed through her handmade scarves to the silent heartbreak of feeling unappreciated. The husband’s quiet determination to turn that moment of pain into a memorable family project reveals his deep understanding of his wife’s feelings and a clever way to bridge the generation gap with their grandchildren. The gentle confrontation, followed by the innocent joy of the kids and the symbolic family of scarecrows, adds a redemptive touch that feels both warm and hopeful.
It’s a story that highlights the beauty of small acts of love and the power of family, healing, and forgiveness. By involving the grandkids, the husband rekindled the meaning behind those scarves, showing how cherished memories can be renewed in unexpected ways, often deepening family bonds. The ending, where they walk away hand-in-hand, feels like a powerful reminder that shared love and understanding can mend even the most subtle fractures in family relationships.
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